Tatsttjiko ibcaizttmi



T. HVIAIZUML LIFE BUOY.

\ APPLic/Tion FILED mw. s. 191s.

. ,3%5, @QS Patented June 3, 1919.

/lVI/ENTOR Tatujirn Imazumi.

= Arron/ver TATSUJIRO IMAIZUMI, F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

LIFEL-BUOY.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application led November 6, 1918. Serial No. 261,359.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, TATsUJrRo IMAIZUMI, a subj ect of the Emperor of Japan, and resident of the city of Seattle, county of King,

and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Imp-rovements in Life- Buoys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to life buoys and con- O sists of a life buoy of an improved type of construction in which the flota-tion is secured by a. large number of small cells, each of which is independent of all the others, so far as the retention of the air contained therein,

whereby, if some of these become punctured,

the remainder are not affected.

The object of my invention is to secure greater safety by the use of cellular flotation members and also to provide means whereby the comfort of the wearer may be promoted by providing foot supports, which are suspended from the buoy.

My invention comprises the novel features which will be hereinafter described and then particularly dened by the claims.

The accompanying drawingsshow my invention in the preferred form of construction.

Figure l shows a buoy in perspective, a

V portion of the casing and interior parts being broken away so as to better illustrate its construction.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the plane of the buoy.

Fig. 3 is a perspective, showing in section one of the segment cells, and Fig. l shows in perspective, one of the small cup-like cells which are placed inside of the segment cells.

By my invention I provide a series of small elements which are of a cuplike character, adapted to be nested together, and a' series of these segment cells placed end to end so as to form a ring, which ring is inclosed within a canvas or like covering to form the buoy.

One of the small cup-like cells is shown in perspective in Fig. 4:. These cells B are made with their sides slightly tapering so that they may be nested together', after the manner shown in two of the segments shown inV Fig. 2. The last one of each of these series, being the cell C, as shown in Fig. Q, is

preferably provided with a cover so that it provides its own covering instead of relying upon the next cell to close it.

The material of these cells is preferably after the nature of Celluloid, ebonite, hard rubber, or the like, which may be ma'de to nest together and to form atight joint.

The segment cells A may be made of light material of a similar character. These serve to hold the smaller cells B in place and to give a certain measure of stiifness against transverse bending. They prevent such transverse bending occurring at any point except between the segment cells. Therefore, the tightness of the joint formed between adjacent cup cells B is maintained.

A sutlicient number of the segment cells A to form a complete circle is provided with a cover G of canvas. Such a buoy is lightand also has a suflicient rigidity for all practical purposes.

I prefer to provide a buoy with bands H`r two of which, at opposite sides, are providedf V with eyes, as I, through which are passed Vthe ends of cords J. These cords are intended to depend from the buoy and to be provided Vwith stirrups or loops F, at such a distance below the buoy as to make it convenient to place the feet in these loops and thereby to Y assist in supporting the body.

To maintain these loops separated sufficiently for convenience, I prefer to connect them by a rigid member or bar, as E, which i bar may be made as a small float. This contributes to the convenience of the user, as otherwise the .stirrups F would tend, either to' separate or to draw together.

I may also provide the buoy with a cord 90 K extending to the same, on its outer periphery, and passing beneath the various bands H. This forms a convenient means for catching and securely retaining a hold upon the buoy.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A life buoy having a ring-like body and a cellular structure for said body formed by cup-like elements nested together.

2. A life buoy having a ring-like body composed of a series of segment cells, and a series of cup-like members nested together with each of the segment cells.

3. A life buoy having a ring-like body placed end-to-end and a series of nested cuplike elements in each segment cell, and a casings'iiollnding the Whole.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 30th day of October, 1918.

TATSUJIRO IMAIZUMI.

lCopies ofv this patent may be obtained for v'e 'ce'its"ea`ch, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

